Imran ‘treated without problem’ for retinal problem at PIMS, confirms executive director

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan received treatment for a retinal disease at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital over the weekend, the hospital’s executive director said on Saturday.

In a video message, Professor Rana Imran Sikander, executive director of PIMS, said the 74-year-old had recently reported reduced vision in his right eye.

Read: Consent obtained from Imran for eye procedure: PIMS

He said a senior and qualified ophthalmologist from PIMS conducted a comprehensive eye assessment at Adiala Prison, including strict laboratory examination, fundoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, essential laboratory tests and optical coherence tomography of the retina.

Based on the evaluation, a diagnosis of central retinal vein occlusion was made and follow-up inpatient treatment was recommended, Sikander said.

“As a result, Mr Niazi was brought to PIMS last Saturday/Sunday night for the advised procedure,” he said. Sikander added that at the hospital, the treatment plan, the need to administer an intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF, was fully explained to the patient and informed consent was obtained before the procedure.

Learn more:KP CM announces overnight sit-in as PTI leaders once again denied access to Imran Khan

“The procedure was performed in the operating room under standard sterile protocol and monitoring,” Sikander said, adding that it was completed smoothly in about 20 minutes.

He said the patient remained stable during treatment and was discharged with routine post-procedure care instructions, follow-up counseling and documentation.

Amid the controversy surrounding Imran’s eye treatment, PIMS had confirmed a day ago that he was taken to hospital late Saturday night, where an intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF was administered to treat right central retinal vein occlusion after obtaining his consent.

The PTI had expressed concerns over the past few days over Imran’s health, alleging that prison authorities and the government were obstructing treatment of a “serious eye disease” and demanding immediate medical attention. On Thursday, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other PTI leaders were denied permission to meet the party founder, prompting Afridi and the party leadership to stage a sit-in on Adiala Road all night until Imran was allowed to meet his personal doctors, family members and legal advisor.

Speaking to the media, Afridi expressed deep concern over Imran’s health, saying he was secretly transferred from prison to PIMS on Saturday. He called the cover-up of the founder’s condition “medical terrorism” and said the incident was a violation of basic human rights.

Imran’s personal physician Dr Asim Yousaf had also expressed serious concerns over the PTI founder’s health a day ago, saying there could be an underlying medical condition behind his reported eye problem.

In a video message, Dr Yousaf – who is also the chief medical officer at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital – said that for several days, rumors had been circulating across Pakistan and abroad about Imran’s eye problems.

Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence in Adiala Prison in a £190 million corruption case. Additionally, he faces ongoing trials under the anti-terrorism law related to the May 9, 2023 protests.